In all beauty, lies ugliness. Dung may seem ugly; but it plays a universally central and beautiful role in the foods that keep all creatures healthy. Eating produces dung and, as gardeners know, dung is an essential food for growing robust gardens. Many other peoples have recognized the importance of recycling excrement, often equating feces with the naturally balanced processes of death and decay, which feed life.

Imagine the Universe as a huge ball of dung with one little Dung Beetle struggling to roll it home. Cow pastures rely on these natural recyclers to compost the dung. They lay eggs in these balls; the grubs feed on the feces, turning cowplop into their own pre-processed dung. This poor beetle is trying to roll up all of humanity’s environmental sh*t: hurricanes, rainstorms, floods, mudslides, garbage, war, fire, and drought. If he recycles all this, the Universe might survive; but he’s alone and stuck.

I begin with a crocheted shape, stuffed with polyester, off of which I often crochet to add stuffed appendages, sometimes including wire armatures. Stitchery using a variety of yarns, buttons, beads, objects and antique lace create a tough sturdy surface; artist’s medium helps stiffen some things.